Food products such as meats are often packaged for sale in reclosable, rigid or semi-rigid plastic containers comprising a tray and a lid. Prior to first opening of the container, the food product is enclosed within a hermetically sealed product compartment within the tray. Upon first opening of the container, the hermetic seal is destroyed. The container can then be reclosed by applying the lid to the tray, for example to maintain freshness of unused portions of the food product for a relatively short period of time. A hermetic seal is not formed between the lid and tray when the container is reclosed.
Convenience and ease of use are important properties of these containers, and may have an impact on acceptance of a particular food product by consumers. It is common for reclosable food containers to incorporate a detent mechanism to provide an interlocking or “snap” fit between the tray and the lid. Such detent mechanisms may provide an audible sound and/or a tactile sensation which assures the user that the lid has snapped into engagement with the tray and that the container is therefore closed. The detent mechanism may be in the form of one or more ribs or similar protrusions extending along the edges of the tray and/or lid. One problem with such a detent closure mechanism is that it may make it more difficult to apply or remove the lid from the tray. For example, it may be necessary to firmly press the lid onto the tray about its entire periphery to engage the detent mechanism, and to gradually peel the lid from the tray to disengage the detent mechanism. On the other hand, the complete absence of a detent mechanism would cause the lid to fit loosely on the tray and make it difficult to keep the tray closed.
There remains a need for a reclosable food container which can be easily opened and reclosed, yet provides a reliable closure with an audible noise and/or a tactile sensation to signify complete engagement of the lid and the tray.